A New Jersey survivalist donated his entire stockpile to Maria victims in Puerto Rico

A man who stockpiled over 28,000 lbs. of food donated all of it to help victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, according to the Washington Post.

Joseph Badame, 74, was in the process of being evicted from his Medford, New Jersey, home when he met a couple raising money for those affected by the hurricane and he decided to give all his food to them instead of it being thrown away.

How did Badme end up with all that food? He and his wife Phyliss became survivalists in the 70s after spending a couple years in the Peace Corps.

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The couple spent about $1 million equipping their home with multiple kitchens and bathrooms, and even a bomb shelter.

Over the years Badame had gathered 80 barrels of food which included dried beans, rice, flour, sugar, pancake mixes, seeds and more -- which could sustain 84 people for four months -- all to keep them alive in the event of a disaster or a massive economic crisis.

His wife suffered a massive stroke in 2005. He quit his job, took out a $500,000 loan on his house and spent his time caring for his wife. Phyiliss died in 2013 and Joseph was broke.

The bank foreclosed on his property, and it was at the estate sale where Badame met Victoria Martinez-Barber and her husband, Anthony Barber, who were looking for donations for their family in Puerto Rico.

He mentioned the food supply in his basement and told Barber she could have all of it.

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“Those people are starving and they have nothing,” he said. “I just can’t sit by.”

The food will be delivered to residents in Barber’s hometown of Arecibo, a coastal city 45 miles west of San Juan.

“This is lifesaving,” she said. “What Joe has done for me, I could never pay back. I told him that," said Barber. “He prepared for one group of people, but he ended up helping an entire town.”